UK far-right councilman suspended by party

Associated Press

January 19, 2014 - 9:50 AM

LONDON — A British far-right party has suspended a local councilman who blamed recent severe flooding on the government's legalization of gay marriage.

David Silvester of the United Kingdom Independence Party had written a letter to the Henley Standard claiming he'd warned Prime Minister David Cameron the legislation would result in "disasters" and that the U.K. had been beset by storms since the law's passage because Cameron had "acted against the gospel."

The party, known as UKIP, had initially said that Silvester's views were "not the party's belief," but defended his right to express his opinions.

It suspended Silvester on Sunday for defying instructions not to give any further interviews, after Silvester defended his letter to the BBC and called homosexuality a "spiritual disease" which can be healed.